The Letter - Act 2
by Hellz Blaze
Summary: The long waited sequel to "The Letter". My take on what could have happened when Lucifer came back after his disappearing act mid-season 2. Not that I don't like Candy Morningstar... she just didn't fit into why he went away to begin with. Lucifer is not mine, just borrowing for a bit. Entertainment purposes only!
1. Chapter 1

The Letter - Act 2 - Chapter 1

_Author's Notes:_

_First off: Thank you to all the people who reviewed the first chapter of this story just within a few hours of my posting it. *HUGS TO ALL* This is for Ona, Elina, julieann. and the others who left lovely comments asking for more. Thank You Netflix for picking Lucifer up! Sad about only one more season though. :( _

_Secondly: I don't normally like to publish my stories until they are completed. However, my muse has decided to take a sabbatical and only checks in once in a while and never long enough for me to write anything down. I am hoping that you, dear readers, can persuade her to come back so that I can finish this story the way it is supposed to be finished (with perhaps a hint o' lime ^_~)._

_Thirdly: If you have not read "The Letter" by me (Hellz Blaze) I suggest that you do so. You might get a little lost as to what is going on. The first story was based just after Season 2 Episode 13 and takes a left turn off the episode path from there. There are potential spoilers for following episodes in this sequel. ^_^ _

_Last: Lucifer and its cast are not mine, I write purely for the enjoyment of myself, my muse and others. No infringement intended. Now! On with the Show!_

* * *

Ever since he left 3 months ago, she had been coming back to his apartment at Lux once a week just to keep his memory alive. The furniture was still covered in the white sheets, all save for the piano, it was the one thing she couldn't bear to cover, and keeping it covered meant he wasn't coming back. Chloe opened the balcony doors a little to let the warm May evening breeze curl through the apartment before shedding her jacket and pulling on the royal blue dress shirt from his closet. She then sat at the bench of the piano and ran her fingers over the fallboard before gazing at the frame sitting on top of the baby grand. Lucifer's letter sat within the metal and glass frame next to a bottle of his favourite whiskey and a tumbler on a coaster.

She lifted up the cover over the ivory keys and gently caressed them, she had been on light duty since the ordeal with seeing the doctor slit his own throat after poisoning her and then her recovery, and for once she didn't mind it. During that time she did a lot of soul searching, and taught herself some piano to keep just another part of Lucifer close to her. She hit a few keys on the piano, the first few notes of _Far Away_ by Nickelback coming easy to her now. Losing herself to the music she recalled the confrontation that she had with Maze a couple weeks after Lucifer left, it had been spectacular, Chloe was just glad that Trixie had been at Dan's that night. It got loud, and then it got real.

* * *

"Decker, you have got to stop doing this," Maze huffed as she came into the living room after Dan had picked up Trixie that night. She and Dan had been getting along decently lately but Chloe suspected that it was more to do with Dan trying to win her back than them actually getting on.

"Doing what Maze?" Chloe asked with a sigh, they had had a few conversations like this lately and it was beginning to wear on Chloe's nerves.

Maze swallowed the drink that she poured herself in one go before thumping the glass on the counter a little harshly. "You know exactly what Decker," Maze flung her arm out towards the door. "Feeling sorry for yourself. Hanging out with Dan of all people. You know that he is only trying to get you back cause…"

Chloe was tired of this. It was the same speech over and over again, like Maze was trying to tell her something but was keeping an ace up her sleeve. She had had enough, "Cause what Maze? Because Lucifer isn't here? He isn't. He left. So what if Dan is being nicer than usual. What is the harm in that, huh? He is the father of my daughter, so what if we get along?"

"Because Decker you know that is not all that he wants. When Lucifer gets back he will be pissed!"

"And just when will that be Maze? Huh? When is Lucifer coming back? Is he coming back at all? Where did he even go? Why won't you tell me?!" Chloe ranted as she grabbed a throw pillow from the couch and began shaking it in Maze's direction needing something to do with her hands. She really hadn't meant to let go of the pillow, but it slipped from her tenuous grasp and smacked the other woman square in the face.

Maze had a moment of stunned shock before she growled low in her throat and bent to pick up the pillow. "You are so dead Decker." Chloe grabbed another pillow to defend herself as Maze leapt over the couch with speed that should have surprised Chloe, but didn't, to bat at her with the pillow. "When will you get it through your thick human head that Lucifer would do anything for you?" Each word was punctuated with a swift thwap with the pillow in Maze's hands.

"How do I know that?" Chloe defended with her own thwaps, "He left Maze. He didn't even say goodbye or that he was going. He was my partner, I thought we got past him keeping things from me."

Maze swiped Chloe's legs out from under her and she landed with a thud on the floor. Maze quickly pinned Chloe to the floor and growled at her again. "You are an Idiot Decker. Lucifer knew that if he saw you, you would try to stop him. He is going up against God this time, he might not make it back."

"You mean his father," Chloe wriggled trying to get loose of Maze's grasp but she was too strong. "Why do you both insist on saying that Lucifer's father is God?! I mean I can kind of understand his father complex but you too?!"

Maze huffed an annoyed breath in the Detective's face. "Because He ~is~ _God_ Decker. Lucifer is the Devil and I am one of Lucifer's demons."

Chloe scoffed, "Please Maze. I have known you long enough you can drop the whole act. It is getting a little tiring."

Maze growled low and deep, her face flickering momentarily to her demon side. "It isn't an act Chloe." Maze got up off of Chloe and stalked to the other side of the living room while Chloe continued to lay stunned on the floor. After a few minutes staring at the blankness of the living room ceiling Chloe slowly came back to her senses and sat on the couch.

"It is all real isn't it?" Chloe whispered out into the space between them before turning to the demon woman. "You aren't going to drag me to Hell or anything are you?"

Maze huffed and poured herself another drink before knocking it back swiftly and pouring another. "Are you crazy Decker? Even if I did want to go back there now, do you think that Lucifer would let me? He kinda rules the place you know. He would end my existence faster than snuffing out a candle flame if I tried. Besides, I promised that I would keep you safe until he came back, and I, for one, do NOT break my promises to the man who made me."

Chloe stared at Maze, her full human form back in place as Chloe continued to try to wrap her head around the fact that Lucifer was the Devil himself, but certainly not the Devil that the entire world had been led to believe was Evil incarnate. Chloe got up from the couch and walked over to the kitchen island grabbing herself a tumbler along the way. Pouring herself a drink from the bottle that Maze was drinking from she knocked back the shot and looked at the woman who was eyeing her a little warily. "Tell me everything you know…" she implored the demon.

* * *

Chloe smirked a little at the memory of drinking with Maze and learning so much. It had taken another couple of weeks before she wrapped her head around the whole thing, even the part about Amenadiel blessing her mom so that she could be born. Talking to Linda helped a lot since the therapist had already been down part of that road already. That had been a shock too, Linda knew about Lucifer's real face before Chloe did, however looking back on the conversations that she had with the man himself, he had told her that he worried that he had "broke his therapist".

Finding out as much information that she could on Lucifer's family dynamic, the hierarchy of Angels and Demons, Heaven and Hell had helped Chloe process everything. She worked it like a case, gathering information and building to a conclusion. She hadn't fully gotten to the end yet, obviously there were only things that she would be able to sort out after she talked to the man in question. There were a myriad of different theories and accounts to sort through. Chloe knew that most were conjecture from the times that Lucifer had scoffed at preconceived notions that the human race had, but there were a few things that the mortals had gotten right.

The music swirled around her from the baby grand, she wasn't as confident as Lucifer in her singing abilities but she was slowly letting the words come through, softly.

_On my knees, I'll ask last chance for one last dance_

_'Cause with you, I'd withstand_

_All of hell to hold your hand_

The soft ping of the elevator disappeared into the notes of the piano as a figure shuffled out of the car but stopped a few feet in as they noticed the woman playing on the piano. "Detective…"

Chloe stopped playing at the soft voice behind her. The tone was the same as that day on the beach. The day he told her he wasn't worth it, (now she knew why he had said such things) and she threw caution to the wind and kissed him. Turning sharply she looked at the figure in the dim light from the bar. "Lucifer?" she questioned as the figure stepped out into more light.

"Chloe." Her name was like a prayer upon his split lip as he all but collapsed unconscious to the floor.

"LUCIFER!" she cried out as she dashed from the piano to slide to her knees beside his head on the floor. "What happened to you?!" she breathed out as she lifted his head to pillow it on her lap. His lip was split and there was a cut under one closed eye that oozed sluggishly and another over the opposite eye. There was a spectacular bruise forming along his jaw and his clothes were completely disheveled. Chloe could only imagine what other injuries were under the Armani fabric. She knew that there was no way that she could lift him on her own, and if what Maze said was true, she was impeding his supernatural ability to heal just by being nearby so she did the only logical thing to do.

"Maze… Lucifer is back… no no you don't understand, he is here at Lux, at the apartment... He's hurt... Maze how soon can you get here? No, I'll call Dan to keep Trixie for another night… Yeah… yeah okay… See you soon Maze." Chloe hung up knowing the Maze would be there soon and they could assess what kind of damage had been done to Lucifer.

Chloe gently stroked her fingers through his dark hair as she continued to cradle his head on her lap. "Please be ok Lucifer, you have to be ok," she murmured to him as she waited for Maze to show up, making sure that she called Dan to keep Trixie over for another night, just telling him that her shoulder was acting up but not really going into too many details.

Thankfully she didn't have to wait long before the she-demon came barreling into the apartment. Between them they managed to get Lucifer up to his bedroom, his tattered clothing removed until he was down to his boxers, and tucked under the sheets. Chloe had to force herself not to react when she saw the multiple bruises blooming across his ribs and arms, the busted knuckles on both hands and the disturbing swelling to his left knee.

After they had gotten Lucifer settled Maze turned to Chloe and stated bluntly, "You have to go."

"Maze, wha?"

"No Decker, you know what your presence here is doing to him. You have to go so he can heal," Maze took Chloe by the shoulders and turned her towards the door before giving her a little nudge to start walking. "I will stay here and keep an eye on him, I will call in a couple hours."

Chloe was about halfway to the door when she suddenly stopped and turned around. "No Maze, I will be back in a couple hours," she gave the woman a look. "I will go now and be back in a couple hours. No calling and if he wakes up beforehand, you will keep him here. Deal?"

Maze stared hard at the Detective. "Fine, now go."

Chloe nodded once before grabbing her jacket and exiting the loft. Maze turned back to look at Lucifer once more. "What did you get yourself into Lucifer?" she murmured to the air before pouring herself a drink.

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_Please send feedback and reviews!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: If you can pick out the references to a particular movie in this chapter, you will get virtual cookies and virtual Lucifer plushies! ^_~_

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Chapter 2:

Lucifer's brow furrowed a little as he was slowly regained consciousness. There were soft notes of music tickling the air around his ears, coaxing him to wake fully. He took notice of the soft feel of the Egyptian cotton under his fingertips and the cradling that the mattress was giving his body. Blinking open his eyes he was greeted with the ceiling, his ceiling, he was back in the loft, in his bed. The shaft of sunlight streaking across the crown moulding told him it was mid-morning. He groaned as he shifted cautiously, his body protesting to the movement as he still wasn't healed fully. Most of the beating he took was healed, but his muscles ached and his lip was still split.

He remembered getting back to the loft in the early hours of the evening, his injuries feeling all that much more worse the higher up in the elevator that he went, and then seeing Chloe at his piano. The pain became too much and he collapsed. His throat felt sore, he needed a drink, but he was too sore to move. "Maze…" he tried, but his voice came out as a mere whisper. He swallowed roughly and tried again, "Maze."

The music stopped and there were footsteps to the bedroom door, he turned his head slowly towards the door. "A drink if you please Ma..." It wasn't Mazikeen standing in the door but the Detective. The wave of joy at seeing her again threatened to overtake his senses and his eyes watered, he hadn't realized just how much he had missed her.

Chloe stepped up into his bedroom, stopping at the dresser to pour a glass of water from the pitcher there before moving over to the bed. "Morning, I am glad to see you awake. Do you think that you could sit up?" she asked gently.

Lucifer attempted to sit up but his muscles were still too weak. Chloe set the glass down on the side table and curled her hands under his shoulders to help him lift his upper body. After a little bit of maneuvering Chloe was sitting against the headboard, the pillow tucked behind her, one leg folded under her and Lucifer's back resting against her chest, his head resting on the crook of her shoulder and neck.

Chloe wrapped her right arm around his ribs to hold him in place before tugging the blankets up higher with her left and then grabbing the water glass. She held it out for him but when it was apparent that his muscles wouldn't cooperate, she wrapped her fingers around his on the glass and lifted it to his lips. Letting him guide the glass to drink as much or as little as he needed, he drained about half the glass before tilting it away from his lips.

"Thank you Detective," came his soft rumbled voice as she set the glass on the bedside table.

Chloe rested her hand over top of is on the covers and nodded, "How are you feeling?"

Lucifer snorted, "That is a loaded question Detective. I guess the best way I can describe it for you is I feel like I have been hit by a truck."

Chloe smirked behind his head, "Well you look a lot better than you did last night. You looked like you were hit by a truck."

Lucifer hummed in response, his brain still a little foggy he took no real notice of her response to his appearance from last night to now. The water helped ease the dryness of his throat and Chloe's body heat behind him helped ease a few of his aches and pains. He knew that he would be fully healed if she wasn't there, but he had missed this closeness for the last 3 months he wasn't about to ask her to leave just yet, no matter how much he hated her seeing him so weak.

"I…" Chloe started but hesitated, there was so much that she had to say but she didn't know where to start. "I'm glad you are back," she murmured into the hair just above his ear, "I have so many questions for you." Lucifer tensed in her arms for a moment and she rubbed her fingers over his arm. "The big one is, where did you go?"

Lucifer sighed, "That is the simplest and the most complicated to answer, my dear Detective. The simple answer is that I went to find and talk with my Father. If you want the more complicated answer I am going to need something stronger than water."

He looked at her from the corner of his eye and saw her nod. "Why don't you grab a shower and warm up a bit, it will help with the stiffness in your muscles you feel," she suggested.

Lucifer smirked, there was a hint of teasing he could do about her helping him out in the shower, but he was still weary from his journey so he let the comment slide. Chloe helped him rise from the bed, both missing the comfort of their bodies pressed together the moment they separated. Lucifer shuffled off to the shower, Chloe paused and watched him go, there was something different about the smooth skin of his back, but she couldn't really place her finger on what. Chloe shook her head to clear the thoughts before heading out to the couch to remove the rest of the dust covers.

It was a very short time later when Lucifer re-emerged from the shower, warm from the water, dressed in a pair of black silk lounge pants and a long sleeve Henley shirt that was a soft grey in colour, open at the collar and sleeves pushed to his elbows. It was the most relaxed that Chloe had ever seen him and she was glad for it. He eased his tall form onto one of the couches as Chloe came over with two tumblers, snagging the bottle of whiskey from the piano. She folded her form onto the other end of the couch, one leg tucked under her and facing her partner.

The first shot that she poured for them both was knocked back quickly and the second was just enough to be sipped at. "So," Chloe started as Lucifer looked at the amber liquid in his glass. "The complicated answer?"

Lucifer's eyebrows furrowed, "I am not sure if you would understand if I tried to explain it, or even believe me if I laid it all out for you."

"I would like for you to tell me anyways," Chloe stated seriously. Lucifer still hesitated sipping at the whiskey in contemplation. Chloe and Linda had talked about Lucifer's need to process things at his own pace and that if she were to pepper him with questions he would get defensive and close up. Lucifer looked up at Chloe and saw that she was watching him with a curious but open look on her face.

"As I said in my letter, you did get it didn't you Detective?" Lucifer paused, if she didn't find the letter he would have to start at the very beginning.

"Yes Lucifer, I got it," she indicated with a nod of her head back to the piano, Lucifer turned his head to look and noticed a picture frame that was not there when he left.

"Keeping mementos of me Detective? How very coy of you darling. If you wanted something to remember me by I am sure that there are a few other things that I could ~give~ you that would be better than a letter." Lucifer wiggled his eyebrows at her with a salacious grin.

Chloe just smiled and shook her head, "I know that you are trying to distract me Lucifer, it isn't going to work this time. Please tell me about your journey."

Lucifer huffed and took a sip from his glass. There was a feeling in the pit of his stomach that warmed him to know that she had taken the care to frame his letter and put it on display where she clearly spent a lot of time in his absence. "Right, so as I said in my letter I went in search of my Father to get some answers from him. He had been, shall we say off the grid, for some time and Amenadiel wasn't very forthcoming with the last time that he had seen Father in all His Glory, so I had to resort to some other family members for the information..."

* * *

"Metatron! METATRON!" A deep booming voice echoed out over the valley, "Bloody Hell ENOCH! Get your head out of your record books and come down here!"

There was a fluttering of wings and Lucifer turned to face his step-brother. "What do you want Lord of Hell? I am rather busy."

"Well hello to you too brother," Lucifer sneered, "I need you to tell me where Father is." Lucifer had been searching for the better part of a month before he decided to bite the bullet, so to speak, and ask the one being who might tell him where to find his Father.

Enoch huffed a little, "Why should I tell you that? You have been nothing but trouble since your Fall, you have done naught for the rest of us."

Lucifer fumed, "And whose fault was that? The rest of the family shunned me like I was the Antichrist and that was BEFORE Father called Jesus his son!"

Enoch's feathers fluttered around him in annoyance and hurt. "I still don't have to tell you anything."

Lucifer paced a few steps away and took out his cigarette packet, pulling one from the pack and placing it between his lips to light it. He actually liked Enoch. While they hadn't been particularly close, he was always a good source of information and dry wit in the Silver City archives room. After taking a drag to calm down he turned back to the record keeper a little more composed. "Not that it is any of your business bookkeeper, but I have some questions for dear ol' Dad that only He can answer. I am asking you," Lucifer swallowed hard, "please Enoch. Where can I find Him?"

Enoch stared at Lucifer for a moment, the dry breeze of the valley they were in fluffing out his wings as he contemplated the man before him. "I had seen the reports about you Lucifer, but I wasn't sure if I could actually believe what I was reading." Lucifer quirked an eyebrow in question but refrained from responding. "The last I spoke to Him he was heading to Tampa Bay, Florida to 'mingle amongst the mortals'." Enoch used air quotes when he said that last part. "He wasn't going for long, He never gives me time tables, but I would have suspected to have heard from Him before now."

Lucifer nodded. Dad had to pick the one place that Lucifer despised more than Hell. Florida. "Thank you Enoch."

"I hope that you find him Lucifer, if all that you manage to do is get Him back to the Silver City it would bode well for you in the long run." With a flap of his wings Enoch was gone, leaving Lucifer to ponder the last words of the Records Keeper. He finished his cigarette and stamped it out in the dry dirt of the valley before heading to his car to start his journey. Ugg, Florida.

* * *

"Wait wait, you are telling me that Enoch is your half-brother and that he told you that your Dad when to mingle 'amongst the mortals' in ~Florida~?!"

Lucifer took a sip of his whiskey and looked out the balcony to the summer afternoon. "Yes, well I do suppose that there are better places to travel than Florida, what with all the hurricanes, alligators and randy geriatrics. Some days I wonder where I get my suave style and excellent taste from, cause it certainly wasn't Dad. However, rumor has it that Dad is a bit of a Pinball fanatic and the carnivals down there have some of the best machines."

Chloe just shook her head and shifted a bit on the couch making herself more comfortable. "Alright, so you went to Florida… you must have hated it."

"I'll tell you it was no walk in the park Detective! I was manhandled more than a prostitute at a gang bang." Chloe snorted trying to hold in a laugh. "And while I don't mind being manhandled on occasion this was a bit excessive even for me."

Chloe cleared her throat and tried not to laugh at the indignant look upon his face. "So did you find your Dad while fending off your older suitors?"

Lucifer turned to find mischief dancing in the Detective's eyes. Oh how he had missed her while he was away, her snark and quick wit rivaled his own. "Oh har har Detective. Right, well yes, I made some inquiries about him and after several leads that didn't pan out the way that I had wanted, I finally managed to track him down about a month and a half later… for all the good it did me at first."

* * *

Lucifer stepped into the brightly lit room, the humid Florida afternoon kept at bay by the AC unit recycling the antiseptic air of the hospital. There on the bed lay an older man, hooked up to various tubes, wires and a breathing apparatus. It had taken him days to find out where he was once he had a solid lead.

From the retirement community that he visited, he managed to locate a man that had recently moved into the residence that liked to go down to the midway nearby to play pinball most days. After talking to many of the neighbours, and being manhandled by more feisty old ladies than he was really comfortable with, he managed to find one older gentleman who told him about the accident down at the midway.

The older gentleman by the name of Ralph, dug out last week's paper from the recycling bin and handed it to Lucifer. "Mags was a good man, shame what happened to him," Ralph stated as he passed the paper over. The article indicated that there was a freak storm that rushed up over the midway pier with fierce winds throwing articles that weren't tied down into the air. There were no fatalities, however three men had been injured in the gale as they attempted to get others to safety. All three had been taken to the hospital for treatment but one name caught Lucifer's eye. A one, Magna Opalhead, was taken to hospital with a severe head injury, internal bleeding and broken ribs. Lucifer pondered for a moment, _It couldn't be something so prosaic as an anagram, could it? Alpha and Omega._ Lucifer scoffed at the thought, _How droll Dad, and predictable._

"Which hospital was he taken to?" Lucifer inquired gently of Ralph as his brain processed what he knew of hospitals and brain injuries. His Father, in mortal form was probably being kept alive by modern medicine and unable to release His spiritual form back to the Silver City. It explained why Enoch hadn't heard from Him in a while. Lucifer would just have to see for himself if the mortal calling himself Magna was actually his father or not. Then he would get the answers he was looking for.

It had taken all of his charm and persuasion just to be granted access to the man who had been hurt a mere week ago in a freak storm. Lucifer snorted to himself as he looked at the man lying on the hospital bed hooked up to various machines. He picked up the chart at the end of the bed and looked it over. Deep contusion to the left side of the head, three broken ribs on the same side as the head injury, internal bleeding that had been stopped by surgery, put on ventilator for the purpose of keeping the patient alive until someone claimed him and could make decisions about what to do.

Lucifer put down the chart and heaved a sigh. There was only really one way to know for sure if the mortal was actually his Father. He really wished that he could have a smoke or a really large drink, or both before he did this, but it was necessary. Stepping over to the panel where the ventilation tube was plugged into and reached out to disconnect it, but before his fingers could grasp the tube, he was hurled through the air, through the window and down into the garden below.

Lucifer dropped from the second story window and landed hard on the grass of the garden creating a small crater around his body. His landing startled a few people who were milling about, and even though he was attempting to sit up on his own, a few of the medical personnel started coming towards him to aid him, however turned and fled when a dark figure leapt from the window, coming to land hard on the ground straddling Lucifer's body, the glittering sharp point of a sword inches from his throat.

"I cannot allow you to wake him Brother," the voice hissed out as Lucifer was able to focus on the face surrounded by wavy cinnamon coloured hair. Bright amber eyes filled with contempt and menace glinted just as dangerous as the wickedly sharp blade in the figure's grasp.

"Ares," Lucifer breathed, "What are you doing? Why are you here? Why haven't you woken…" his questions came to a sudden stop as the blade point pressed into the soft skin at his jugular.

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_*cheezy villain music Bum Bum Bum!* Please send feedback and reviews!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: Another movie reference in here folks. Good luck!_

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Chapter 3:

"Ares?!" Chloe interrupted as she sat back down on the couch. She handed Lucifer a plate with a sandwich on it and set two glasses of water on the coffee table as she sat down next to Lucifer on the couch. "You mean the Greek God of War?" It wasn't much but being early afternoon it was enough to curb the hunger pains Chloe was experiencing and easy on Lucifer's healing body. She hadn't wanted him to stop telling his story so she made them both lunch when it reached mid-day.

Lucifer rolled his eyes, "Nooo Detective," he huffed in mock annoyance, "As in Ares _Angel_ of War. When the Greeks were the ruling power among the human race they had no concept of Angels, so to them every being that exhibited any kind of power was labeled a god. Back then Dad hadn't quite gotten down the way to convince the masses of the idea of 'One True God' so he let the lesser Angels interact with humans more often." Lucifer took a bite of his sandwich and muffled a moan. Chloe made her version of a Toad-in-the-hole sandwich and used the Dijon mustard that he liked best.

"So you are saying that Ares is actually a lesser angel with an insatiable battle hunger that liked to incite that savagery in humans? And God was OK with this?!" Chloe commented in outrage.

"Of course He wasn't ok with it. Well He didn't exactly stop him too soon either you see," Lucifer explained between bites of his sandwich. Small little happy moans escaping his throat that he seemed oblivious to as he continued to explain. "He had this plan, as always, that if Ares and the others that were pretending to be gods caused enough havoc for the Greeks that one or two would protest the treatment they were getting and be 'open to the Word of God'. Or something of that ilk, I'm really not too sure on the details since I was in Hell at the time and there was very little communication between my section of Hell and the Silver City. But I digress… Ares is no god with a Capital 'G', any more than I am a Saint. Now, may I continue or are you going to interrupt me again?"

Chloe smirked at the annoyed tone colouring Lucifer's voice as she took a bite of her own sandwich, "No no, please continue with the story."

Lucifer set his plate down on the coffee table and picked up the glass of water to take a sip, "Right… where was I? Oh that is right, asking my brother why he was there as he pressed a very wickedly sharp sword to my throat…"

* * *

"You will not wake Him Brother, I forbid it," Ares hissed, there was a look in his eye that Lucifer did not like. Even when he had his fights with Amenadiel about going back down to Hell, he never had this… madness… glinting in the depths of his eyes. Lucifer knew that he had to tread carefully here for Ares's blade was just as deadly as Azarel's.

"Alright. Alright. Can you tell me why you don't want me to wake him Ares? I can be reasonable." Lucifer asked soothingly, he channeled everything that he remembered from watch Chloe coax answers from suspects and witnesses alike. _Be calm, and keep them calm._

"Yes, yes you can Lucifer," Ares smirked, the madness receding a bit, as he removed his blade from Lucifer's throat and stepped to the side as he began explaining. "You see how the world has become brother. The mistrust, the suspicion, the animosity, the conflict. These _humans_ thrive on conflict, on horror. They have become so desensitized to it that it has become mainstream."

Lucifer slowly stood brushing the grass and dirt from his jacket, "That is true Brother, but what does that have to do with you not wanting our Father to be conscious of the world around Him?"

Ares flung his arms out to the sides, his sword coming mere inches from Lucifer's chest as the Angel of War got more excited about his reasons, "Everything!" Ares proclaimed excitedly, "You see if Father was to wake then His influence would strengthen. The conflict and brutality of the world would become just another depressing sound bite in the news. But as he slumbers, the need for conflict, for struggle, deepens. These humans need that struggle to be able to appreciate what Father has given them. They have forgotten that gift. They need reminding. While our Father slumbers, I am able to encourage the humans towards the Ultimate goal."

Lucifer looked hard at his brother. When the Greeks and Romans were in power, Ares had sent many to his doors. He shook his head, back then he didn't think too much of it, his being cast out of the Silver City was still so fresh a wound. Many of those warriors became part of his legion in Hell to keep the masses of souls to be punished and tortured at bay, to protect his section of Hell from the Upper levels. But now, now he saw that many of those soldiers would not have walked through those doors without Ares' influence. "What, pray tell, is this Ultimate goal?"

"Global War."

The words were said with such a gleeful finality that Lucifer actually took half a step back. The ramifications alone shocked him to the very core. "Ares," Lucifer breathed, "You can't seriously want that. It would be chaos unhinged."

Ares took three steps in Lucifer's direction, the blade in his hand swinging dangerously. The faint glimmer of a rational mind blinked from existence in Ares' eyes, the gloss of madness and self-righteousness filled the amber depths. "Chaos is needed Brother. How are humans supposed to be worthy of the gift of Redemption if they do not struggle for it? And so to that end, I will bring them pain, I will bring them horror, I will give them a War so brutal, so abhorrent in its hysteria that these _humans_," Ares spat the word as if it burned him, "will never again take for granted the Grace of God."

"But the innocent…" Lucifer started to protest.

"The casualties of War brother. You of all people should know that," Ares huffed pacing away from Lucifer again. "We are on the brink of something so brutally beautiful that the humans will be worthy once more of God's Grace, of God's Love. Once they are worthy, then, and only then, we can wake Father. He will see that this was the only way that His precious _humans_ can appreciate the gift that they were given."

Lucifer shook his head as Ares continued to mutter about how this country or that country would react to the crisis that he was planning. If Ares was successful, that meant that all the humans that Lucifer cared about, Chloe, Beatrice, Penelope, Linda, Ella, even Dan could have their lives cut short because of this madness. While he agreed that the world was in a sorry state, he was not going to risk the lives of the humans, the people that he had come to care about. He had to try to subdue Ares and wake his Father. Lucifer had a brief moment where he wished that he was at full strength with his wings, but even then Ares was a lower level Angel, it might be an even match.

"You have to agree it is a pretty spectacular plan Brother! The beauty of war at its finest!" Ares turned back to Lucifer once more, his arms flinging wide as he slashed his sword in the air to make his point. "There will be so many souls brother, so many for you to torture and punish, won't it be glorious? You can see how this will be so wonderful don't you Luci?" Ares asked, his amber eyes alight with anticipation, and fevered madness.

"There is only one small hiccup, shall we say, in your plans Ares," Lucifer stated as he shoved one hand into his pants pocket and the other unbuttoning his suit jacket looking like there was nothing amiss.

"Oh? And what is that dear brother?" Ares questioned, a threat laced in the undertones of his voice.

Lucifer sighed while easily reaching into the inner pocket of his jacket for the item that he kept there so that it wouldn't fall into mortal hands again, "I am not in Hell to punish those souls, and I am not about to go back." Lucifer could see the anger rising in his brother, "In fact I rather like it here on the mortal plane, and while yes it is generally screwed up, there are a few people here that I would not like to lose because of your foolish ideas of one massive global war. So you see… Brother… that hiccup is _me_... stopping _you_."

Lucifer anticipated Ares lunge easily enough, blocking the blade with Azrael's in defense. While Azrael's was smaller than Ares' roman gladius it allowed Lucifer to block one deadly blade with the other and get into close quarters combat with the violence driven, bloodlust mad angel. Lucifer kept Azrael's blade along his forearm so that he could block the blade with a broader sweep and step in closer. There was a satisfying snap as Ares' head twisted to the side with the force of Lucifer's punch.

The snap of his own neck, and the throbbing of his jaw indicated that Ares had retaliated before his mind caught up to the fight at hand. Lucifer growled low in his throat as he rushed Ares, tackling him to the ground, trying to pin him down to get in a good swing, but Ares got a shot into his ribs that sent him flying a bit before they both got back up on their feet. A few shots to the ribs for each of them before Ares managed to send Lucifer flying through the air, his body colliding hard with the stone planter box, his left knee catching the corner before he slammed crosswise into a thick oak tree.

Lucifer wheezed as the breath was knocked out of his lungs. As Ares stalked towards Lucifer as he caught his breath, Lucifer pondered his next move. _If I can get him to throw me towards the window…_ "That all you got brother? Are you getting weak in your old age?" Lucifer taunted as he regained his footing. Ares' face contorted into a sneer as he rushed Lucifer's position.

The brothers continued to trade blows, both sword and fist until the opportunity arose were Ares had Lucifer into a tight grip, "You will not succeed Brother. I am more powerful than you are on this mortal plane. Give up this fallacy and admit defeat," Ares breathed hotly into Lucifer's battered face. Lucifer gripped Ares' forearm tightly, loosening the metal gauntlet around is wrist.

"You will only ever be second string Ares. You forget who you are speaking to. I am the LORD of HELL! And you will only ever be beneath me." Lucifer's retort caused the anger and madness double in Ares' eyes and the Angel of War heaved Lucifer away from him. Lucifer timed it perfectly, as he was coming down on the falling arc, he managed to catch the ledge of the broken window and stop is momentum.

"NO!" Ares cried, his wings flapping strongly behind him launching him into the air to try to stop Lucifer as he used the stolen gauntlet to hook onto the window ledge for leverage and painfully pull himself up and into the room. Lucifer rolled into the room and scrambled over to the power cord just as Ares entered into the room. "You will not wake Him!" Ares screamed as he grabbed ahold of Lucifer's ankle.

Lucifer rolled over onto his back and smirked at Ares. "You lose." Lucifer yanked on the cord effectively cutting power to the breathing machine. The high pitch tone of the flat lining monitor echoed into the room and a bright white light filled the room.

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_Please send feedback and reviews!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note: Quite a cliff hanger there last chapter huh?_

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Chapter 4:

The ringing of Chloe's cell phone startled them both from the story Lucifer was telling. She snatched the phone up and hit the answer button, "Hey monkey… Maze got you from your Dad's... she said what?" Chloe smiled and sighed at the same time. "Ok… ok… hold on." She passed the phone over to Lucifer.

"Hello Beatrice."

"_LUCIFER! You are back! We were so worried about you!"_

"I appreciate the sentiment spawn, but there was no need for concern."

"_Are you back for good now?"_

Lucifer looked at Chloe, hope and trepidation swirled in the depths of his dark brown eyes. "I suppose so…"

"_YAY! Can I come visit? I could ask Maze to bring me. Are you at Lux?"_

Chloe pulled the phone from Lucifer's fingers, "Monkey, maybe not tonight. Lucifer is still feeling under the weather at the moment."

"_What do you mean 'under the weather'?"_

Chloe sighed, "He is a little banged up at the moment."

"_You didn't shoot him again did you?"_

"No I did not shoot him again!" Lucifer chuckled heartily at the small human's question. Lucifer wiggled his fingers at her and took the phone from Chloe once more.

"Beatrice, will you put Maze on the phone for me? Thank you."

"_You alright there boss?"_ Lucifer smiled, even though he had released her from her oath, she still referred to him as boss on occasion.

"Yes, thank you Maze. Would you be a dear and watch over the spawn for the Detective tonight and then tomorrow afternoon, say after she is done school at 3 you both come to Lux?"

"_I suppose, you will owe me big."_

"How does one of Ares's gauntlets sound?"

"_See you tomorrow at after 3."_

"_Lucifer?_" Trixie's voice came back over the phone line.

"Yes small human?"

"_I know you don't like it too much when I hug you, but can I give you one tomorrow?"_

There was something warm that unfurled in his chest when the child asked something so small of him. After a moment's pause he answered in a soft voice. "I would like that very much Trix."

"_Thank you!"_ He could hear the child's smile through the phone. _"Can you put my mom back on Lucifer, please?"_

"Of course. Goodnight Beatrice."

"_Night Lucifer!"_

Lucifer handed the phone back to Chloe and got up off the couch. He poured himself another drink and stepped out onto the balcony to enjoy some of the night air. Lucifer marveled at his reaction to Beatrice's request. He despised children, but Chloe's daughter had wormed her way into his dark heart with the same tenacity and ease that her mother had. Chloe stepped out onto the balcony with Lucifer and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you." Chloe sighed, "She missed you while you were away. Talked about you non-stop. You have made quite an impression on her."

"She has made quite an impression on me as well Chloe," his dark eyes found hers in the fading light. "Just like her mother has."

Chloe blushed a bit and smiled at him. "So, bright blinding light, then what happened?"

Lucifer sighed. It was too much to ask for her not to press further. "Are you sure that you want to hear the rest of this story Chloe? It is getting late."

"Oh no. You have been gone for almost four months. There is no way I am leaving now!" Chloe leaned up against the railing with her hip and crossed her arms over her chest.

Lucifer smiled at her gently, "Very well… Let's get something for dinner though. I need a bit of a breather and another drink."

Chloe smiled a bit, "Alright… I am a bit hungry. I brought some staples over earlier, just milk, bread, eggs and a bit of ham."

"How about some French toast? That should tide us over," Lucifer suggested.

"Mmm… sounds good… let me go…."

"Oh no Detective. You made lunch… at least allow me to make dinner. Besides, I find cooking soothing."

"Can I help at all?"

Lucifer gave her a ghost of a smile, "I'd like that."

They made their way into Lucifer's spacious kitchen and made quick work on making the French toast. Lucifer used some of the Hawaiian egg bread that Chloe had used for the sandwiches, adding a bit of cream, cinnamon and nutmeg to the eggs before dipping the bread into it. When the butter was hot enough, Lucifer set the slices in the frying pan one at a time to cook evenly as he directed Chloe to the cupboard with the plates. Once everything was cooked to perfection, literally dripping in real maple syrup (not that cheap imitation syrup) did they perch themselves on the stools at the kitchen island and tucked in.

The sounds of forks and knives scraping on plates was only interrupted by the sounds of enjoyment coming the Detective's throat involuntarily.

"Chloe…" Lucifer murmured while looking at her beside him.

"Hmm?" Chloe closed her lips around another forkful of their breakfast for dinner and moaned again.

"If you don't stop making those glorious sounds darling, I am not going to be able to resist accosting you right here on the island."

Chloe's eyes widened for a moment as she stopped chewing her forkful. Her gaze swung to his heated gaze before taking on a wicked glint of her own. She finished chewing and swallowed before giving him a decidedly devious smile, "I can't help it… you are a very good cook… this French toast is positively sinful."

Lucifer drew in a sharp breath as she scooped up the last of her toast and while staring directly at him, groaned her enjoyment as she closed her lips around the bite.

Lucifer's fingers tightened on the countertop edge, "Detective…" he groaned, his voice dropping an octave or two lower than normal, "It isn't nice to tease the Devil darling, unless he asks for it, of course."

"The Devil seems to be enjoying himself all the same," Chloe smirked as she took a sip of her glass of milk. "Now I believe you promised me more of the story."

He sighed and nodded as they gathered the dishes, rinsing them off and putting them in the dishwasher for a later cycle. Lucifer padded back into the living room and poured himself another helping from the bottle on the table. He settled himself once more on the couch and when his Detective came to sit down, he tugged her so that she was leaning against him and wrapped an arm around her shoulders holding her close.

"After my eyes adjusted to the sheer brightness that was around me, I came face to face with someone I never thought that I would see again…"

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Lucifer's eyes had clamped shut when the light hit his corneas and he just tried to control his breathing. After a few moments of lying in the same position he was in when he pulled the plug on the ventilator, he slowly blinked opened his eyes to be greeted with a landscape in shades of grey. Limbo. He was in Limbo. It had been in many eons since he had seen the bleak and nondescript waiting room of the Silver City. The light wasn't as intense as the ethereal light of the Silver City but it was bright enough, causing his eyes to water heavily.

Lucifer slowly got to his feet and took a faltering step towards the bench nearby. His ribs protested the movement but by wrapping his arms around them, after shoving Ares' gauntlet in his suit pocket, he was able to sink his tall frame onto the bench and rest. Lucifer focused on breathing as easily as he could while cradling is aching and bruised ribs. Time seemed to slip away as he concentrated on passing air into and out of his lungs with as little pain as possible.

A presence sat down next to Lucifer, one he hadn't felt in a year. "You know we never did get to find out who was the better piano player."

Lucifer huffed out a small laugh that was more a sob than laugh, "Yes, well, you had to be a bloody idiot and jump in front of a bullet didn't you?" Lucifer turned his gaze to the man sitting beside him. "Why did you do it Frank?"

Father Frank tugged at his black shirt straightening it. "You know why Lucifer, you have come to understand why I did it."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," Lucifer huffed, "Not that it isn't great to see you Padre, but why are you visiting me in Limbo?"

Frank leaned back against the bench and smiled at him, "I wanted to apologize for leaving the way I did. I was not expecting to go out like that. I think that we could have been great friends if things had played out differently."

"A Preacher friends with the Devil? I don't think so."

"No… Frank Lawrence friends with Lucifer Morningstar." Lucifer looked up at Frank in surprise as the former priest stood up and brushed off non-existent dirt off his pants. "Have to go, someone else wants a word with you." Frank grinned at the man on the bench. "Don't take this the wrong way Lucifer, but I hope I don't see you for a long time but, I will be here when you do. We can finish our piano duel, it has been a bit boring up here."

Frank smiled and began walking away into the perpetual mist that floated around in Limbo. "I did warn you about it being boring!" Lucifer called after him once he got over his surprise about seeing his friend. Lucifer laughed a bit, which turned into a groan as his ribs protested.

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_Please send feedback and reviews!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: There is a shout out to a great TV show in this one!_

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Chapter 5:

"Hello Samael."

Despite having been solely focused on his breathing after his ribs began hurting again after Frank had left, and not really paying attention to his surroundings, Lucifer did not flinch at the voice. He slowly turned to look in the direction of the voice he had not heard in a millennia. "Hello Father," The man before him was not what one would consider old, nor was he young. A distinguished figure, complete with a pressed suit and shiny shoes, smirked a lighthearted smile in his once favourite son's direction. "You do know that I do not answer to that name any longer. Not since you sent me to Hell." The weariness of that statement coming out of his own mouth was not lost on Lucifer, he just chose not to acknowledge it.

The two celestials stared at each other for the span of a few dozen heartbeats before Lucifer's Father glanced away. "I suppose a thank you is in order."

"I suppose that it would be prudent, considering that I freed you from your mortal coil that Ares no doubt trapped you in," Lucifer huffed out, "How did he manage to do that by the way? I mean Ares' nowhere near powerful enough to take you on."

If God could blush, Lucifer was sure that His cheeks would be slightly tinted pink right that moment. "He took a strategic advantage of the fact that my body had been wounded in that freak storm, however I have my suspicions that he somehow orchestrated that storm too. I will have to check to see if Poseidon is still in possession of all of his tridents. As for how he kept me in that state, let's just say that it has been dealt with."

"And Ares?"

"Also dealt with. I would have been here when you woke up in Limbo, but I needed to handle him first."

"So you are here to handle me now too Dad, is that it?"

"No Sam… Lucifer. Being omnipotent as its perks. I have been able to see everything that has been going on with you before and since my absence from the world." Lucifer looked uncomfortable for a moment before his Father cracked a smile. "I know that you are not happy with me sending you on the task of finding your Mother after she escaped Hell, but I have to say it was very fitting punishment to sentence your Mother to be stuck in her human body."

Lucifer blinked, "So you're not angry?"

"No. Besides it isn't like I don't know where she will end up if her human host dies. But your Mother is not why you were seeking me out. You had a question?"

His son looked down and away, it took him a few moments to gather his thoughts. When Lucifer found is voice again it was edged in desperation, anger and a hint of fear. "Why did You put Chloe Decker in my path? Is it all part of some _**PLAN**_? Are you just doing this to punish me more? Is being banished from our home for millennia not enough?" Tears formed in the Devil's eyes. "I don't understand! I never did! I only asked some questions, You were so busy with your humans all the time. Why did you punish me the way you did?" Lucifer was outright sobbing at this point. His initial rage had turned to hurt and sorrow. Never having had the opportunity to confront his Father and actually get a response was cathartic. Linda would praise his apparent breakthrough saying that just being able to confront his father was a step in the right direction.

His Father rested a hand on his son's shoulder and allowed him to cry. He waited until Lucifer had gotten most of his tears out before leaning in as if He was going to tell him something of great importance, "I am going to let you in on a little secret… I _had_ a plan. Once upon a time I had a Grand plan, it was so great that I marveled at its existence and the fact that ~I~ had created it." Lucifer looked up at his Father's face, the wry smile was something that he often saw in his own mirror and never expected it on his Father's face. "And then one day, the plan changed. In fact it changed so much that it became less of a plan and more about predicting all the possible outcomes of decisions being made."

"What do you mean?"

"That trait that I gave Humans that you were so adamant about demanding for yourself and your siblings… Free Will… that is what took the Plan back to the drawing board. By the time that I had figured it out however, humans had become so integral to the mortal plain that trying to go back or changing it was a futile endeavor. And so… I became VERY adept at predicting how things would play out depending on the choices they made and subsequently was able to set things in motion so that their lives would be better or that they would be punished for their actions."

"But what about me? Why couldn't you have just told me this?"

Lucifer's father just shook His head, "I couldn't. You were asking all these questions and your Mother…" God rolled His eyes, "Your Mother was trying to get my attention, and I was trying to figure out what to do about the humans and their disregard for what ~ I ~ had planned. Sam you are a favoured son. What would have happened if I gave you and your siblings free will?"

The thought alone after hearing the troubles that God was going through with the humans at that time gave Lucifer pause, God continued, "I can only imagine what would have become of the Silver City with a whole host of Angels with their abilities and no qualms about telling their Father to bugger off. I couldn't let that happen. So I chose the only option I could think of at the time. I made an example of you. That if _my_ favourite son could be punished for questioning the plan, then what would happen if your siblings defied it?"

Lucifer looked at his Father with new eyes. The Silver City would have descended into chaos itself and the very fabric of existence torn asunder had he and his siblings had the right to choose. He still was upset with his Father but at least he understood His actions now. Lucifer sighed. "It still doesn't make it right Dad. Why couldn't we have had this conversation eons ago?"

God smiled ruefully at his boy, "Because, I was too scared to tell you. But I can tell you now. And answer your question about the young Chloe Decker." Lucifer perked up at this, this was the answer that he was looking for. "As I said, I have become rather good at predicting the outcomes and the actions after the choices that were made. You my dear boy, are too headstrong, inquisitive and impulsive not to try to defy My banishment of you. I knew that you would leave Hell one day. I wasn't sure when, but I knew that you would. And so to that end, I knew that you would need a companion. Not one of your own making, Mazikeen is too much like you too truly bring out the BEST in you. The Lightbringer I remember from your youth." God stood from his place on the bench and began to pace. "If your Mother hadn't attempted to use your growing feelings toward Chloe, you would never have known that Amenadiel blessed her parents by my order."

God turned to Lucifer and knelt before him grasping his hands. "Lucifer, son, Chloe is not a punishment. She is not sent to torment you or hurt you. She is mortal. She HAS free will. And she has chosen to be with you. I had predicted that she might be resistant to your natural charm and wit, I never expected her to be able to refuse your draw so spectacularly." Both God and Lucifer snorted at that fact. "But in the spirit of being honest Lucifer, you have free will too."

Lucifer's eyes grew wide at the thought, "You are having a lark Dad, and it isn't funny."

God shook his head and stood before resuming his pacing. "You had it the day that you asked your first question about it. I was afraid that if Free Will could develop, on its own, in my Lightbringer, then it could develop in the others. In fact it has. Look at Ares, Amenadiel, even Uriel." Lucifer felt the weight of Uriel's passing once more on his shoulders and on his hands even as he hunched forward. "They have all shown signs of choosing for themselves. I just hope that they choose wisely."

The Lord of Hell's jaw rippled with the way that this conversation had become uncomfortable. "Dad… about Uriel..."

God stopped his pacing and sat back down on the bench, "Oh Sam I know what happened, I…"

Lucifer's eyes darkened as he stood up and paced a few feet away and rounded on his father, the pain in his chest was more now than just a few cracked ribs, "That is NOT my name! I am no longer Your Samael! I am LUCIFER, Lord of HELL, the most VILE being on the planet, everyone of Your precious humans fear and loathe me just as You had hoped." Lucifer's vision began to get spotty as he got so worked up over something that had been bothering him for eons. All the hurt and sorrow coalesced once more into a pit of anger in Lucifer's stomach and once he started to vent, he couldn't stop it. "I am what You made me Father, there is no going back for me. And if you had told _any_ of us any part of your plan, perhaps maybe Uriel wouldn't be gone from existence!" Lucifer's breath was coming out in sharp pants as his ribs protested his own anger. "Hell leaves it's mark Father, I have been there for millennia, look… look at what it has done to _Your_ Samael." Lucifer let his former angelic visage melt away leaving the deep red scars, burn muscle and sinew visible to God's eyes.

Lucifer stared at his Father's face looking for a reaction. His anger began to burn hotter as it seemed as though there was no reaction but the longer he stared, the closer he looked, Lucifer saw the tell-tale welling of tears in His eyes. Lucifer's knees began to give out as his shortened breath caused what little strength he had to bleed away. God sprung from the bench and caught Lucifer as he collapsed. "Oh my son, I am so sorry. Sorry, so so sorry."

"I killed him Father, my own _brother_!" Lucifer wailed as his father held him.

"Shh my son, it is alright. It will be alright," God whispered into Lucifer's hair and rubbed soothing circles on his back. Lucifer could feel the healing touch of God spread from his back and to his heart. "Uriel," God sighed, "Uriel made his choices. And as much as he used is powers of seeing patterns to try to goad you into giving up your mother or Chloe, he forgot one thing."

Lucifer looked up from his father's shoulder and gave him a questioning glance, his tears still silently coursing down from his chocolate eyes. "He forgot that _his_ actions upon those patterns change them. He made his choice Lucifer that is not your fault."

"But _I_ -killed- him Father, blinked from existence completely with one thrust of Azrael's blade, surely there was another way," Lucifer rebutted.

"I will admit that there might have been, but you nor I could see it in that one moment. You made the only choice that you had at the time. I forgive you for your actions son."

Lucifer's eyes widened to saucers, "But… You… I… No. I am the one you made an example of, I killed an Angel. Me, Lord of Hell, killed my own brother."

God cupped Lucifer's jaw and held his chin in both hands, "Yes, you did. I forgive you Lucifer." Warmth seeped into Lucifer's face from his Father's hands. "I forgive you for your actions, and though you did kill your brother, you have been punishing yourself ever since. I suspect that you will continue to do so, there is nothing more that I could do to you that you haven't already done. The guilt that you feel for killing your brother tells me that you are still my Lightbringer, my Samael."

Lucifer shook his head, "No, no I'm not."

"Yes, you are," God smiled gently. "I believe in you Lucifer. Yes Hell has left a mark on you, and I am sorry for that. But there is still good in you. You have shown it by protecting your Detective and her child. Continue to work with her, continue to grow, prove to yourself that even though Hell as left its mark, you are not without Redemption."

Lucifer was silent for the longest time. His mind a whirl. "But Chloe doesn't know. She shouldn't be forced to be with me if she doesn't want to."

"Lucifer… she is not being forced. She chooses to be with you. She brings out the best in you."

"Even when my immortality falters when she is near?"

"A side effect of her being blessed and your deep feelings for her," God mused, "Her profession is dangerous, just be cautious."

Lucifer furrowed his brow, "What do you suggest Father? I get a bulletproof vest with 'Devil' emblazoned on the front?"

God laughed. It was a joyous sound that resonated all across Limbo and through Lucifer's entire being. "I am sure that you will figure something out my son. You and your Detective are resourceful… Perhaps try sparing while the detective is around? Perhaps that way you can gauge what strength you have when your Angelic powers fail you when she is near."

"Perhaps. If she will allow it. I have never asked her to spar with me before… well…" Lucifer's eyebrow twitched. "Not for work anyways."

God shook his head at his son, "I think it is time for you to go home…" At Lucifer's sharp look his father amended quickly, "To Lux of course. Hell was only a job Lucifer. It was never meant to be your permanent home. Come, up you get My Son." Lucifer stood unsteadily with God's assistance and even though his ribs were still hurting, he was able to stand upright on his own.

Lucifer looked at his Father, "I…" Lucifer sighed and looked away before whispering, "I'm glad we got to talk."

"As am I my son, as am I." Both men shared a smile, "Oh! One more thing… I believe your sister needs her blade back." Lucifer snorted lightly before reaching into his inner pocket for the blade. Holding the blade hilt first his Father gently took the blade, tucking it away into his own jacket pocket.

"Will you check for any other items that might be missing from the Silver City? I don't wish to expose more of humanity to these types of things." Lucifer asked, "And tell Az… tell her I said Hi."

God nodded, "She tries not to show it but she does miss you. Its time, be well my son. And not everything that I do is a punishment for you. Remember that."

"Father what...?" Lucifer started to question as a bright light began to envelop his Father's form.

Lucifer closed his eyes against the light. He felt the light and warmth of Limbo fading and the coolness of the evening envelope him in its place. He blinked open is eyes to find that he was in the alley beside Lux, the side door just steps away. Looking up he nodded his thanks as he slipped inside the building through a stairway not many knew about. Leaning against the back of the elevator door as it rose to is penthouse, Lucifer became aware of just how much his injuries were beginning to hurt all the more. The small ping of the elevator roused him from his pain filled stupor and the soft notes from his piano confirmed his suspicious as to why he was in more pain.

"Detective…" The playing stopped and the woman turned to look at him as he shuffled a few steps forward, seeing her as though for the first time.

"Lucifer…"

He sighed happily before the world tilted crazily, "Chloe…" He felt the floor coming up to meet him as he fell unconscious, he vaguely heard her call his name in alarm before everything went black.

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_Author's Note: I do have a partial chapter 6 but it isn't finished yet. More reviews needed please ^_^_


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Note:_

_First off sorry for the delay, real life sucks for writers some times. It was stated in a clip I saw that the worst thing for writers when they are writing is interruptions. Well real life is a huge interruption sometimes. Bit of a short chapter, but the next portion of the story is hopefully going to be better now that I have gotten past this bit. I hope that you like it._

_Thank you to BrokenAngelWings83 for guessing that the movie reference that I alluded to was the wonderfully chaotic, funny and heart wrenching Dogma by Kevin Smith. If you have not seen this movie I totally recommend that you do. You will not be sorry especially if you are a fan of "Jay and Silent Bob" and Alan Rickman (RIP Alan you are missed). _

_Anyone catch the reference to that TV show in the last chapter? I will give you a hint... it is near the end of the chapter… Now on with the show! _

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Chapter 6:

"Oh wow," Chloe breathed.

Lucifer poured himself another drink and leaned back on the couch. "You are taking all of this surprisingly well Detective. No speed dialing the loony bin then?"

Chloe shook her head. "No loony bin for you. It is a lot to take in I will admit and I will need time to think things over. For now though I think that perhaps it is time to get you into bed."

Lucifer's eyes lit with glee, "I like your thinking Detective! I am a bit sore still but…"

Chloe laughed, "No, no, to sleep. You need to rest and I have a lot to think about." At Lucifer's crestfallen look she stood, taking his glass and set it on the table before tugging him up by the wrist. "Come on, I am going to tuck you in. I am going to stay up a little longer to think about a few things, you need the rest, you are still healing."

"Does that mean you are staying the night?" A spark of hope flickered into life in is chocolate eyes.

"After 3 and a half months of you not being here, I am not letting you out of my sight or presence for the next 24 hours at least."

"So I shouldn't try not to hog the bed then, hmm?" His smile was full of mischief and promise. Chloe shook her head while tugging on his wrist to get him moving before guiding him to his bedroom. "It is a rather large bed Detective, we could share easily, but I make no promises about what my body does after I am sleeping." He wiggled his eyebrows at him as she pulled down the top sheet.

"Get some rest Lucifer, we will talk again in the morning ok?" Chloe smiled gently before heading to the bedroom door.

"If I promise to behave then will you share?" She turned back to look at him, Lucifer's eyes held something else besides mischief and desire, there was a faint hint of trepidation lurking in the depths. He was afraid that if he closed his eyes she would disappear, or run, or both.

Chloe made the three steps back to him and gently cupped his cheek, "Get some rest Lucifer, I am glad that you are home." He sucked in a small breath at the touch on his cheek. "I promise that I will be here, in this apartment, when you wake up in the morning."

They stood frozen like that, staring deep into each other's eyes for some time as Lucifer searched her gaze, for what Chloe wasn't sure, but she let him look anyways.

"Don't stay up too late Detective, you need your rest as well."

Chloe nodded and took a slow step back, her hand sliding gently from his jaw. "Sweet dreams." Lucifer watched her as she slipped around the corner of the bedroom door, he was tempted to follow her and watch where she went. He did take a step to do just that when he heard the tell-tale sounds of piano notes gently floating from his baby grand. Shaking his head as a gentle smile played upon his lips, the soothing notes she played actually calmed him enough that he followed her directive to get some rest.

After completing his nightly ablutions, Lucifer slid on a pair of sleep shorts and crawled into bed. Certain that he wouldn't be able to rest right away, the softness of the bed, the coolness of the sheets over his legs and the soft tones of whatever song his Chloe was playing on his piano lulled him into slumber easily and with little fuss.

* * *

Chloe played through the five practice lullabies that she had learned, hoping that the soft music would soothe the bruised and aching partner she had sent off to bed earlier. She allowed her mind to drift as she played, taking in everything that he had told her that happened in the time he was away.

Five months ago she would have chalked up his story to simple delusions of grandeur, but she knew better now. Granted when she told him that she _knew_ who and what he was, she wasn't too sure how he would take it. But that was something that she could deal with tomorrow. Right now..., well..., right now her partner, who was _the_ Devil, fallen angel, was in his bed sleeping, while she, an honest to _God_ human miracle, whose parents were _Blessed_ so that they could have her, was playing on the aforementioned Devil's piano.

Closing the fallboard over the keys Chloe stood and made her way over to the couch, spying Lucifer's unfinished scotch on the coffee table she scooped it up and took it with her out to the balcony. She had always been amazed at the expanse of the city that she could see from Lucifer's balcony. It was always so breathtaking, but now she stood at the railing, gazing at the sky wondering just what she had gotten herself into.

Who knew that celestial beings lives were as complicated and drama filled as humans were. Granted things like proper behaviour and emotions were not as widely known, no… that wasn't right, understood was more like it, to angels and demons. What if other things besides angels and demons existed, what if…? Chloe downed the remaining scotch in one go, allowing the burn of it to chase away those thoughts for now. Her head might just explode if she started thinking too hard about all the other supernatural stuff that humans had once thought was out there. Who knows what legends and fairytales could be true.

Setting the glass down on a small table nearby, she folded her arms over the railing. Ok, time to get down to brass tacks as it were. Did knowing everything that happened to Lucifer, minus the details about the randy geriatrics, change how she viewed him? How she felt about him?

Not really. It didn't change the fundamentals of their relationship. They worked well together, her solve rate had been on the steady increase since they started working together, and he got to see justice served for those who were in the wrong. Chloe sighed, and they had started to become very good friends. Probably something more than friends if she was truly honest with herself, but would that change when she told him that she knew? Chloe hoped not.

"I wish I could ask you for clarification on a few things," She sighed looking up into the cloudless sky. The stars seemed to be winking at her over the light pollution from the city, stars that her partner, _the Devil_, had actually hung in the sky before he had 'fallen'. "What has my life actually become?" she whispered to herself in the dark of the night.

There was a soft chirp off to her left. Chloe turned and saw a tiny sparrow sitting on the chair near the table she had placed the glass on. The tiny bird was watching her with surprising accurate awareness. "What are you doing up here so late in the night?" She murmured to the bird.

"He is a distraction for me." Chloe turned around so quickly, reaching for a gun on her hip that wasn't there that she almost stumbled. Strong hands curled around her elbows to help steady her on her feet bringing her face to face with a man dressed in a smoke grey outfit that seemed to flow around his figure like clouds in the wind. "I mean you no harm mortal, be at peace."

Surprising herself she did just that. Chloe took calming breath but remained wary. "Who are you?"

The man smiled gently before releasing her and stepped closer to the light coming from inside the penthouse, his golden hair catching the light just so, making it appear as though there were feathers, or wings woven into the soft strands. His eyes, a cool calm grey were set in a face that looked carved from the finest marble. "I am but a humble messenger for Him."

The inflection of the last word struck a nerve in Chloe, "Are you the Metatron?"

Light laughter like bells tinkling in a summer breeze reached her ears as the man smiled easily once more while he sat down in one of the chairs like he owned the place. "No, no, Metatron is busy at the moment. Much to catch up on, you see, now that Father is back home." The messenger waved his hand at the adjoining seat indicating that Chloe should sit with him.

Chloe eased herself into the chair still wary of the obvious celestial before her. Deciding to take a more formal approach she tried again, "May I know to whom I am speaking?"

"I can see why he is so taken with you. Very well mortal, my name is Mercury, but others might know me as…"

"_Hermes_…" Chloe breathed out.

"Ah, so you are aware then. No matter, I have come to deliver a message, it is my job after all."

Chloe looked hard at Hermes, he didn't seem like he was there to do any kind of harm, but one never knew what might be going through the mind of a being as old as time itself. "What kind of message?" she asked cautiously.

"I suspect one that you believe is not thorough enough for that detective's mind of yours. However, once you hear the message, perhaps you will take it on with a little blind faith hmmm?" Tilting her head to the side just a little before nodding briefly that she at least understood what he meant. "The message is simply thus: _Be who you have always been. No more, no less._"

Chloe waited for the span of a few even breaths before furrowing her brow and looking hard at the man sitting so casually across from her. "That's it?! Be who I have always been?! What is that even supposed to_ mean_?"

She got up from her chair and started to pace getting more and more agitated as she began to think out loud, "What exactly am I supposed to do with that? I am a police Detective..., a mother..., a _mortal..._, _Blessed_ by _God_ Himself, just to be partners with the most infuriating..., adolescent..., lecherous…, sweet…, generous..., caring person on the face of the earth who just happens to be a Fallen _ANGEL..._, who is the _DEVIL!_ The one being in all of creation who has a reputation for being the worst kind of evil in the world, but really isn't in the slightest. And I should be afraid of him..., of what he represents... but I am not. I should just take my child and run as far and as fast as I can to get away from all of this craziness and I haven't because what exactly? I was created to bring out the best in him? My entire existence was to be his Redemption?! How I am supposed to somehow magically make him better?! I don't even know how to handle him sometimes. I just treat him like the child he acts like…" Chloe stopped and looked hard at Hermes again.

Hermes regarded her with a cool aloofness now that his message had been given. He could have easily spirited away once his task was complete, but he waited to see her reaction. He had tried not to take sides when things took a turn back in the day. He was able to visit the underworld with messages from a few of their siblings at first, but the longer that Lucifer stayed in Hell the less welcoming he became, even to the messenger of the gods, and he missed his older brother. Her voiced train of thought was fascinating. If only more humans thought like she did, he might be able to visit more often.

"That's it isn't it?! That is why he acts the way that he does…" Chloe breathed out a sigh. "He was still just a teenager, relatively speaking of course." Hermes decided not to answer her in any form as he watched her take that step of faith. "He rebelled in true teenage fashion and got grounded for it. But didn't get a chance to talk it out with the parent until now… for heaven's sake is that it? Is that the meaning behind that message?"

Hermes stood, smoothing out his top. "I am just the messenger Chloe Decker. There is no more that I can tell you. And now that my job is complete I must be going." Hermes stepped away from the chairs, aiming for the shadows once more.

"Wait! That is it? You are just going to go without telling me anything more?"

Turning back around and taking steps to close the gap between them, he stopped just shy of being too close for comfort, a slight air of intimidation swirling about his form. "Do not question me mortal. I am but a messenger. I have completed my task and now I am to leave." Chloe was doing everything in her power to control the slight tremble of fear threatening her bones as she stared him down. For a few brief moments, it was like waiting for the pin to drop. Hermes smirked at her briefly, the only indication that he was impressed she stood her ground. "I cannot tell you more mortal. But can offer my opinion…"

"Please."

"I find your thought process compelling. Perhaps there is room for, not necessarily blind, but some form of faith in your thinking." He then reached up and plucked an actual feather from his hair. It almost shimmered in the moonlight as he pressed it into her hand, curling her fingers around it. "Set this feather to the wind at any time, I will come to you and take a message from you to whomever, wherever you wish it." Hermes took a step back from her, then another, "Fare thee well Chloe Decker. Take good care of my brother."

With a blink of an eye and a rustling of feathers, he was gone. Chloe continued to stare at the place Hermes had just been trying to come to terms with what she had been told that night. Taking the glass off the table and padding back inside, she didn't notice that her hand was still clutched gently to her chest until she placed the glass in the dishwasher. The harsh lights of the kitchen allowed her to see the soft golds and blondes in the vanes, it shimmered a bit when she twisted it in the light. Taking the feather with her, she tucked it into a spare spot of her purse and padded back to Lucifer's bedroom.

Stopping just inside the door, Chloe gazed upon the sleeping form of her friend, her partner, the Fallen Angel known to the planet as the Devil. It was comforting to see the lines of his smooth back rising and falling as he breathed in sleep. He had been through so much, and if she looked at his behaviour, his track record, she noted that it was on par with what she knew of the publicized actions of any spoiled rich kid. A overindulged teenager who had access to power and money and usually got his or her way when it came to every desire and whim. He was essentially kicked out of the house when he was younger and never had a chance to mature like Amenadiel. Amenadiel… his brother… an Angel… who came down to bless her parents. Ugh… that was just too much to think about.

Before her thoughts could take her further down his dysfunctional family tree, Lucifer rolled over facing the door. The arm he was laying on stretched out to the door, almost as if he was reaching out to her. His face was smooth of worry lines, a soft deep breath passed easily between his parted lips, he seemed at peace until his eyebrow twitched. "Chloe…"

For a moment she thought that perhaps that he was awake, but his eyes stayed closed even as is eyebrows furrowed in discontent. Putting aside any more thoughts for the night, Chloe slipped out of her boots and pants placing them over one of the chairs in the corner so they wouldn't be tripped over later. Thankfully her shirt was long enough to be sleepwear so she didn't have to go hunting for something to wear to bed. After a moment's hesitation, she pulled her bra off from under her shirt and dropped it on the chair with her pants.

Carefully, so as not to wake him, Chloe slipped under the sheet and tucked in close, using his bicep as a convenient pillow. Reaching out she gently brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. "Chloe…" came the soft whisper again, the discontent in his voice melting away with ease. She smiled gently and placed her hand on the small space on the bed between them before closing her eyes to sleep.

* * *

_Reviews are appreciated, they help keep my muse occupied enough to stay still long enough for me to write! More soon I hope!_

_Ooo! I have question… Should I throw our dynamic duo a case, an antagonist to cause Lucifer some family troubles or just sort of sort things out and have them come to a new normal? Please let me know what you would like to see… I have options to go for all three._


	7. Chapter 6b - Update

I apologize dear readers, that this is not currently a new chapter for "The Letter Act 2".

While there is really no good excuse for not posting lately, there are reasons why I haven't.

The first reason... well I am a bit stuck really. My muse has decided to wander off into parts unknown and forgot to mention when they would be back. I have been trying to write but keep getting interrupted and as a great writer once said "The worse thing for a writer when writing is to be interrupted" Which is true. I usually write on my off time at work but have little of that recently. With the world events happening and my job being part of what is classified as an "essential service" there hasn't been much time to be creative.

Second reason... I am moving. and not just down the block, a 16 hour drive from where I am now. This was all in place before the world decided to try to go to hell in a hand basket and it is not stopping me from going (scaring the crap outta me that I might hit a snag trying to travel right now), but I am doing it anyways.

Gotta go pack another box, please take good care and I hope to have another crack at this when I am settled in my new home.


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